Zenit St Petersburg signing Dejan Lovren has told former Liverpool teammate Mohamed Salah he'll always be on the end of the phone.

Salah and Lovren have been best friends at Liverpool since the Egyptian signed from Roma in 2017, but as of Monday they are no longer team-mates.

Liverpool forward Salah paid tribute to Lovren in a video message, in which he told the centre-back he's his best mate and that he loves him.

On Tuesday, Lovren responded to Salah. He said: "It was something special [our friendship].

"But, it's like I have always said, it's just the beginning of a big friendship. Even when we will be far apart, he knows he can always call me, whatever reason.

"I am always here for him. It's about friendship inside and outside the dressing room.

"It's not just, 'Let's play football and only be team-mates' - and I only used team-mates as a word, but for me it's different.

"They are my friends who I need to cover their backs, and they cover my back, so we are all in the same boat.

"I think people understood the friendship, especially between me and Mo. What it means, and yes, I can see lots of positive comments.

"Maybe a couple of years later, we can be altogether proud of this achievement. I wish everyone good luck, I hope they stay healthy, and we will always be in touch."